Polarising nationals leader Barnaby Joyce says he’d prefer people vote for arch rival Labor than independent candidates in the upcoming election.
We’re on Gympie Road, motoring north through Brisbane’s outer suburbs, trailing the deputy prime minister in a media car. Suddenly, his Commonwealth vehicle and the Australian Federal Police car close behind it swerve sharply left into a McDonald’s.
“If we lose our coal exports, we’re screwed. What are you going to supplement it with,” Ranch asks, before quickly adding that he is tired of hearing “incessantly” about net zero. “And I know the polling, it reflects the sentiment of where we are,” Joyce says of internal party research, in an interview withIt explains what often seems so inexplicable to many in southern states, where Joyce is largely absent this campaign. He readily admits they don’t like him down there. But in the Hunter and in Queensland, Joyce taps into deep and ongoing resistance against a rapid rush to decarbonisation while reluctantly acknowledging the broader need to act.
“Every time you hear someone talk about shutting down an export industry.” Joyce tells a gathering of older LNP members in the north Brisbane seat of Longman, “think: ‘that’s my pension’.” Unlike wombat trails of the past – such as the late Tim Fisher’s 1998 campaign, which this correspondent covered for 10 days – today’s version flies mostly beneath the radar of big-name media brands. Only a handful have funded the cost of joining the trail in the opening weeks, includingIt’s also bleakly obvious, compared to the coverage Fisher’s wombat trail generated 24 years ago, that local media has become dangerously weakened.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trent Zimmerman says moderate MPs ‘prevailed’ over Barnaby Joyce on net zero emissionsLiberal MP tells North Sydney candidates debate that moderates won commitment despite opposition from Nationals
Read more »
PM accepts another leaders’ debate as Labor watches Albanese’s healthScott Morrison has agreed to a second election debate with Anthony Albanese on free-to-air TV, but Labor is waiting to see how the leader recovers from COVID-19.
Read more »
Labor unveils ‘critical’ childcare plan
Read more »
Daniel Andrews refuses to confirm IBAC interview as draft report slams Labor party cultureVictorian Premier Daniel Andrews would not comment on reports that he was interviewed by Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog over cultural issues within the Labor party.
Read more »
Hey Siri: Labor to outline plan for cutting-edge defence researchThe Opposition says it will create a new research body modelled on the US agency that gave the world the internet, GPS and Siri.
Read more »
PM accepts another leaders’ debate as Labor watches Albanese’s healthScott Morrison has agreed to a second election debate with Anthony Albanese on free-to-air TV, but Labor is waiting to see how the leader recovers from COVID-19.
Read more »